Passport chief should resign

ThomasKostigen

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- Assistant Secretary of State Maura Harty, who is in charge of U.S. passports, should resign or be fired. She's taken the blame for the passport mess, which has caused thousands of people to miss trips, pay penalties and suffer anxiety and frustration, but she should go.

Earlier this month before the House Foreign Affairs Committee she said, "I accept complete responsibility for this." OK, with responsibility comes consequence, so where is it? None to be found. Harty should not be able to get away with just an "oops." Donald Trump should be brought in if need be to utter his now famous, "You're fired!"

The government simply can't keep saying it is wrong and moving on. This happens time and time again. It's the worst administration in history and someone needs to be accountable and suffer consequence.

The passport nightmare has caused more than 2 million passports to be delayed, a half-million of them for more than three months. Ordinarily, a passport is ready in six weeks. Even people who pay extra to have their passports expedited have fared no better.

This has caused weddings, vacations and business trips to be canceled. It has caused massive disruption across travel agencies, airlines and government agencies. Millions of dollars have been lost. "I'm sorry," simply doesn't cut it.

Mismanagement and stupidity have caused the passport delays.

The problems stems from new rules that were implemented in January requiring passports for air travel from Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Previously, a driver's license or birth certificate generally would suffice. That, plus new restrictions from the Department of Homeland Security, which reportedly weren't properly conveyed to the State Department, created a huge backlog in passport applications.

Last month the rules for Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean were relaxed. Now Americans going to those countries only need a receipt showing they applied for a passport.

Waiting for my passport

Still, at least 17 million passports need to be processed, and there aren't enough people to handle the surge. Good planning, Harty.

People who don't even need passports soon are applying for them because of the delays; why wait until it might be too late?

This has caused even more people than usual to scramble and is putting an unnecessary burden on the postal system, postal workers (who send applications) as well as congressmen.

I know first hand this mess; I'm caught up in it. A simple passport renewal has turned into personal, business and potential financial upheaval. If I don't get my passport by this weekend, thousands of dollars will be lost in plane tickets, hotel and rental car deposits, and more.

Again, thanks Maura Harty. You've made my vacation and millions of other Americans' the source of anxiety, frustration and disgust. The passport agency under your control regularly lies and provides misinformation. This is just what the government needs right now as it struggles with the worst reputation in history -- both domestically and abroad. You prove its reputation is well-deserved.

Business at stake

Make no mistake, the passport plight is affecting more than just personal plans in this country; it's affecting business too.

The travel industry is the third largest retail business in the United States, representing about $1.3 trillion in economic activity. Almost every American -- 91% of adults -- takes a vacation. About four percent of this population goes overseas for their trips. And increasingly business travel is becoming the biggest sector of overseas airline travel.

But no passport, no overseas travel.

With the dollar at all time lows, the trade deficit at all-time highs and our global reputation the worst its ever been, this is no time to imprison the segment of the population that can afford to go abroad and spend a few greenbacks, never mind maybe even establish new business ventures.

All the backlash is attributable to you, Maura Harty. Nice going. "Over the past several months, many travelers who applied for a passport did not receive their document in time for their planned travel. I deeply regret that," she said in congressional testimony. Don't regret, resign.

The only people who seem to have their act together during this fiasco are the postal workers and congressmen. Rep. Henry Waxman's office, which has been handling my case, is courteous, sympathetic and helpful. The post office workers who process the applications to be sent to the passport agency are especially on top of things -- they have even called on my behalf.

But ... at the national passport agency controlled by the Department of State, they don't accept phone calls, are rife with wrong numbers and delays, and when you do get through, they give you wrong information.

How about the administration send us a signal that it does indeed care about its citizens and fire Maura Harty and replace her with someone who can get the job done right. She had the chance and blew it. Now many of us are suffering the consequences of her inabilities and inactions. She should suffer the consequences too.

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